Portuguese-Style Mussels in Garlic Cream Sauce

Last December, Jack and I received a gift certificate to a Portuguese restaurant from our oldest daughter Courtney and her husband Ken. (They know we love going out to dinner – so it was a perfect gift!)

The restaurant, Cotali Mar, is located in New Bedford – a community along the southern coast of Massachusetts with a rich history as one of the most important whaling ports in the world. That same southern Massachusetts coastal area is also home to the largest Portuguese-American community in the United States. Even today, many of the residents still follow their ancestor’s customs with food, religion and community. (So it is very safe to say – a restaurant in New Bedford is one of the places to go for authentic Portuguese food!)

This past weekend, with our 9-year-old at a sleepover, Jack and I finally used our gift certificate on a date night at Cotali Mar. Our meal was delicious – but one dish really stood out to both of us as our favorite – Portuguese-Style Mussels in Garlic Cream Sauce. (And of course – that inspired today’s recipe!)

The key to this delicious Portuguese-Style Mussels in Garlic Cream Sauce is found in a type of hot red pepper paste called Pimenta Moida. At the end of the summer, you’ll find many Portuguese families cooking up a batch of this special sauce and jarring it so they can cook with it all year long!

Pimenta Moida has a very unique flavor, and the Portuguese use it in many of their recipes. And – after grilling our waiter for the recipe – we confirmed that the pimenta moida was that magic flavor that made our Portuguese-Style Mussels in Garlic Cream Sauce so delicious!

If you happen to live near a Portuguese market, you are likely to find pimenta moida there – or you can buy it online here from this New Bedford-based market. It really is key to the delicious success of this dish! Right out of the jar, pimenta moida, it is hot, spicy and very salty – so it is meant to be used as an ingredient in recipes, not really as a condiment.

And, don’t forget to toast up some crusty bread when you make this Portuguese-Style Mussels in Garlic Cream Sauce…soaking up the delicious sauce is the very best part!

Instructions

To prepare mussels, scrub shells with a soft brush to remove any barnacles or scale. De-beard by pulling on the “beard” that protrudes from some of the shells and twist back and forth to remove. Do all of this while running under cold water. Any shells that stay open, discard. Keep mussels refrigerated until ready to use.

In a large sauté pan or skillet, melt butter and oil over medium heat and add shallots and cook for two minutes.